


The Brilliance of the Direnni

by Sleepless_In_Tamriel (SleeplessTuesday)



Category: The Elder Scrolls - Fandom, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: Altmer - Freeform, Elder Scrolls - Freeform, Gen, Lore Book, Oblivion Crisis, breton - Freeform, high elf, oblivion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-16 11:32:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7266451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleeplessTuesday/pseuds/Sleepless_In_Tamriel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written as if an in game lore book. Please enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote>





	The Brilliance of the Direnni

**Author's Note:**

> Written as if an in game lore book. Please enjoy!

The Brilliance of the Direnni

By Astinia Arturius

Scholar of the Mages Guild

Researcher for the Arcane University

 

This tome was written in the fateful year of 3E 433.

Published in 4E 01.

 

Although I hadn't been in Wayrest long, I had thought it a beautiful city. I know countless others have called it so, but upon first impression it was the only word I could think of. Maybe the ship from Anvil had been more than enough to cleanse the pallet. After all the high seas of the Abecean made for a rough journey. But I wasn't in Highrock for sight-seeing, I was to meet Lord Direnni in the Mages Guild, an honour I wouldn't soon pass up.

However, I wasn't greeted by the reception I'd expected. My fellow guild members didn't seem to register me. Those of us in The Imperial City always greeted fellows from other guildhalls or in the very least recognised them as those on a journey. It was most odd. The entire guildhall was in disarray. I attempted to ask a guild member but they just brushed me off. Incredibly rude!

I did however overhear that something about the conjurers taken ill, or that they'd been affected by something. I couldn't make heads or tails out of it. Without dawdling I went in search of Lord Direnni but it seemed he wasn't in the guildhall. As I searched I came across a young Khajiit servant dusting the shelves. I asked the girl if she knew where Lord Direnni was and she informed me he'd left for the local tavern when the conjurers had fallen ill.

Odd.

I'd expected to meet with him here and possibly have an interview or a demonstration of his magic. No matter, I am nothing if not persistent. Arch-Mage Traven always did say as much.

 

The nearest Tavern to the Mages Guild was a small building called 'The King's Crown'. It was an interesting establishment. While most of the buildings in Wayrest were made of stone this building was purely wood and as I walked the steps up to the door I noticed that most of them were wonky. Music, loud and hearty, could be heard as well as jeers or cheers, your author cannot be sure.

 

I entered quickly and went to the steely eyed nord behind the bar. He was grim faced and almost twice the size of me. Luckily he didn't mind my enquires and without a single word, he motioned for the back corner near the bard.

 

I followed his instructions and after darting past countless drunks, brawls and a mix of the two I found a high elf sat at a table with two women either side of him. Could this be the esteemed Direnni I'd heard about? If I hadn't been so willful at the time, apart of me thinks I would have turned around and headed back to The Imperial City right then and there. I am nothing if not patient!

 

“Excuse me?” I'd spoken, trying to draw the elf's attention.

 

He looked to me, up and down, then smiled. Even as an older elf the man was handsome. A few wrinkles under his eyes and golden hair laced with grey.

 

Both of the women beside him, a Breton and a Redguard, glared at me. I dare say they saw me as some kind of love rival for them and their companion. Although that couldn't be farther from the truth, I know they didn't see it as such. I am much too old for such trivialities.

 

“How may I be of service?” His voice was gentle but seemed full of a youthful mischievousness.

 

“I am Astinia Arturius, from the Mages Guild in The Imperial City. We were to meet?”

Lord Direnni looked to both of the ladies at the table and smiled. “I'm afraid I should go, m'ladies.” The women protested but the elf stood and ushered me to a private room at the back of the tavern.

“I had hoped to meet you in the Guildhall.” I had told Lord Direnni, but he had just waved his hands and shaken his head.

“Better this way, don't you think? It's rather stuffy in the Guildhall these days.”

The room was a small bedroom, with a table and chairs set beside the window. Although not what I'd expected it was quite lovely to see the afternoon sunlight gleaming. Lord Direnni untucked a chair and offered it to me. I graciously excepted as he rounded the table and bowed courteously.

“I am Voranil Direnni, Scion of the Direnni Clan and Master Wizard of the Mages Guild. It is an honour to meet you Lady Arturius.”

I fear I may have reddened at that introduction. You must understand readers, the Direnni are an elusive clan in recent times. In the first and second eras they were abundant, but as time went by they became reclusive to the Isle of Balfiera. All except his Lordship Voranil Direnni who has stayed a member of the guild. To meet such an old member, one so prestigious, it is awe-inspiring. Divines, I sound like a guild acolyte eager to please her master.

I thanked Lord Direnni and we began what I had intended for this trip. I interviewed his Lordship but it wasn't what the Gods intended for my stay in Wayrest. What was to come changed everything. I will write this as I witnessed. To the best of my ability.

We were drinking wine, exquisite Breton wine, and I was asking him questions. His Lordship wasn't what I'd expected at all. He was very honest, more so than most nobles.

“I've never been a 'good' Direnni.” He spoke to answer my questions on nobility and what it means to be apart of his family. “You see, there is a belief among us. I would be tempted to say that it's an unofficial motto of our clan. 'A Direnni is meant for brilliance.' It is said that all have something brilliant within them, and in their life they complete something remarkable.”

He paused to drink from his wine at this point.

“You see, I have done nothing remarkable.”

I chuckled, a whimsy in his voice not going unnoticed.

He toyed with his long braided hair as he turned back to me.

“Vanus Galerion was a good friend of mine and many times I aided him and the guild. But I personally never did anything brilliant. I didn't single handedly defend Sentinel like Raven Direnni or create the Wayshrine Network like my Father.”

“Does that matter?” I had asked.

Lord Direnni shook his head, “perhaps not. Maybe one of my bastards or one of my grandchildren are due for greatness? They are all talented, strong and full of potential. No matter, what other questions do you have for m-”

Just as he was speaking the ground shook. The soft sunlight that was at the windows became clouded, it was almost as if night had come early.

“Arkay's beard, what was that?” I had asked.

Lord Direnni's made for the window and was surrounded in a shimmering purple light. It wasn't an aura those without magicka training could see – it was strong.

“I can sense daedric magic.” He murmured quietly as he peered out the window. He took to his feet and marched out the room. I followed as quickly as I could, but the wizard was gone before I reached the tavern's main room. Crackles of magicka hung in the air like small sparks. He must have surged past with lightning.

I ran outside and saw the spires of Wayrest. Most were on fire, the rest were broken into fiery wrecks on the streets below. Gods it was terrible. At that point I didn't know what had happened. How could I have known what was this was, how could anyone?

The Oblivion Crisis left no one undamaged, no one unchanged.

The Wayrest guard came together quickly, as did the Fighters and the Mages Guild. They fought the creatures that roamed the streets.

It wasn't until I'd already crossed the street and joined with the mages at the town centre did I see it in it's entirety. The gate was massive. it was like some one had cut a hole in our reality and all that was left was the flaming, angry gateway to another world.

I remember praying to the eight and one as I'm sure many of you, my dear readers, must have done so as well.

Soldiers stood ready. The daedra that poured out launched their fiery and dark magics at them. It was horrible.

The Direnni stood up at the front. He out stretched his arms and held a shield over the Wayrest guard I'd never seen something like it. The daedra fell to the ground as they hit the shield. Not dead, but unable to move nonetheless. A negate magic spell, on a huge scale.

I didn't hear Lord Direnni's words at this point, I wasn't close enough, but from what a guard later told me that night, he asked for aid.

“Follow me men and women of Highrock!”

I've heard many times that when a Direnni commands people can't help but follow. Witnessing what I did, I believe that wholeheartedly.

Lord Direnni slammed his staff against the ground and held his negate magic spell in place. He ordered the guards to enter the Oblivion Gate. Now, dear reader you may have been of the opinion as your humble author was. Going inside an Oblivion Gate? The very idea sounds like suicide! But these brave men and women – they did it. Wave upon wave they followed Lord Direnni into the gate. It didn't stop the hoards of daedra but with the shield Direnni had left we sheltered and fought the masses as best we could. Even I, an enchanter and researcher, did my best spells to aid these people.

I did not go inside the gate, however from various accounts the soldiers were met with countless daedra and a land hotter than Vvardenfell in summer. There were towers and with all their might they laid siege.

It was awful. So many died. A small group, led by Lord Direnni climbed up the many stairs of the towers. They fought, continuously until with only a handful of people left they found the sigil stone and destroyed the Oblivion Gate of Wayrest.

By the eight and one, all the bodies. I went to the guards who survived the onslaught. None except for one knew where Lord Direnni was.

“He protected us. Told us where to go. When we climbed the tower, he stayed and fought the daedra. I saw him fall. Saw them gut him.” The guard didn't speak after that.

Lord Voranil Direnni was a true hero among heroes that day. He died protecting the great city of Wayrest and he was well and truly brilliant.

 


End file.
